Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Another Permanent Solution

Suicide, in most cases, is not the thought-out difficult decision the libertarians would have you believe. In most cases it's a terrible mistake. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This is such a heartbreaking story, a young athlete with a family. He happened to have the most lethal suicide tool handy.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said authorities were called to McKinley's apartment in Centennial at 3:35 p.m. local time and found his body in the second-floor master bedroom. He said detectives believe McKinley, 23, was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

What's your opinion? The Broncos have suffered three terrible losses recently, two of which involved guns. Guns kill people, don't you think?

Mine haven't ever done that, but using MikeB's 'logic' that guns kill people, and his habit of presumed guilt, I have sentenced them all to the safe, for the remainder of their lives.

Oh, sure, they'll get the mandatory range visitation, with proper supervision, and some will even be given conjugal visits in the hope that they will reproduce(the Ladysmith and the Raging Bull have something going, I know it!).

But, largely, they will remain locked up, even though none of them have ever killed anyone.

No, I keep mine under lock and key because if I don't, I'm a criminal waiting to happen, or worse, I'm making it easy for the real criminal to steal my guns, thus causing me to become a criminal (in your eyes, anyway) as the "last legitimate owner."

In truth, I lock them up the same way I keep bleach both out of sight (and reach) and locked up (in a cabinet with childproof locks). I keep my tools in my workshop that is closed and off-limits to my kids. I attempt to keep my kids safe from harm by teaching them about various things, like looking before they cross the street, and not touching things that don't belong to them, and not going into my shop, and how to properly use a knife when cutting, and being knowledgeable about fire and fire safety. Guns are just another thing in this world that could harm them if they misuse them, or are uneducated about them.

"The gun is an inanimate object with the potential to do great harm if not handled carefully and responsibly."

I never argued that it wasn't. In fact, I think if you were to say it like that, you'd have a hard time finding ANY gun owner who would disagree. But there's a world of difference between that statement and "Guns kill people."

I don't know how many people are arguing that a gun is the same as a book or a tire, but I recently compared it to a circular saw. It is, regardless of which comparison we make, an inanimate object, and completely incapable of action on its own. Left unattended and out where someone could take it, or misuse it, it could be quite dangerous. Left alone (as in "no one ever touches it"), it can do nothing to anyone.

I often refer to firearms as tools, and like most tools, they need to be used properly, with care, and maintained if you expect them to work properly and do their job.

Waiting for the author to post the ground breaking medical study that shows removal of an inanimate object from a persons vicinity will change their brain wave patterns, hence influence their thoughts thereby making them change their mind from committing suicide.

Careful though as to actually show such a study or proof, will surely make the devil angry as Hades will surely have frozen over!

To the Anonymous from 5:18 p.m. yesterday, you remended me of that time all the freedom fanatics were open carrying in Starbucks. I compared it to wearing a power saw on a big leather utility belt during their break from tree cutting. Equally inappropriate, I said.